20 Steps to the Perfect Digital Camera

I am a very lucky guy. I’ve been able to shoot with almost every cool digital camera ever made. And the quality of the average digital camera has risen to unbelievable heights. To add to the good news, the cameras have not only improved dramatically, they’ve improved at breakneck speed. In five short years we’ve gone from good to great to fantastic.

But still, like all photographers, I yearn for the perfect camera. And while I love my D3 bodies, I still don’t see perfection on the horizon. With that in mind, I decided that the New Year would be a great time to let the camera companies know what’s on my wish list.

NOTE! This is not about brands. I would buy the camera I am about to describe even if Exxon made it!

1. I have fallen in love with the full-frame sensor and expect that the perfect digital camera should assume that as a baseline.2. Megapixel madness can stop. I think a 15-megapixel camera is more than enough for 99% of all photographic use, and certainly enough for me. So, since this is MY dream camera we’re talking about, I want around 15-megapixel resolution please.
3. I want improved high-ISO noise performance AND great detail on my dream digital camera. The Nikon D3 has current state-of-the-art high-ISO noise performance. Now, I just want that paired with the kind of resolving power we see from the larger megapixel cameras.
4. The full-frame sensor on my dream camera MUST be self-cleaning. The self-cleaning Canon sensor seems to work the best of all I have tested. So that’s the bare minimum quality of self-cleaning sensor I want installed in my dream camera.
5. Image stabilization should be built into any dream camera body and NOT just a function of the lens. While I believe it’s not currently possible to give someone three or four stops of stabilization when it’s body only, I’ll settle for two stops. Yes I’ve heard claims otherwise, and people with these sorts of cameras already want to believe they’re getting four stops of help – but they are not.
6. If we’re talking dream cameras, it’s time for full 16-bit color sensors people. Really! Not 14-bit – 16-bit.
7. Histograms and full image info should be available in the viewfinder on my dream digital camera.
8. There should be actual physical buttons and switches on the body for things like ISO, mirror lockup, shutter speed and aperture. My perfect digital camera would have as few nested menus as possible.
9. My perfect camera would come with an adapter that allowed me to use lenses from any major lens manufacturer. Yeah I know it’s a long shot – but hey, this is my fantasy so leave me alone 🙂
10. There should be an open-standard RAW converter included in the price of my perfect digital camera.
11. I’d like my perfect dream digital camera to capture HD video with decent audio, full exposure control and fast autofocus combined with good ergonomics.
12. While I don’t use Live View that often, when I do, I want my dream camera to offer competent autofocus – mostly for video.
13. I want my dream camera to offer selectable autofocus sensors/points across the entire sensor, not just in the middle.
14. I want HDR built-in to my dream digital camera. If we can auto-bracket, then it’s not that big a leap to HDR.
15. I think we’re at the point where the perfect digital camera should shoot at LEAST 10FPS with a 20-Frame buffer.
16. My perfect dream digital camera will be weather-sealed and light weight.
17. Battery life on a dream digital camera should exceed eight hours, and the camera company should include at least two batteries with the camera as well as a dual charger.
18. My perfect digital camera would offer a flash sync of 1/500th of a second or faster.
19. My perfect digital camera would offer ND filters built in so I could work at slow shutter speeds in bright light.
20. My perfect digital camera would retail on the street for less than $5000.00.

This is MY perfect digital camera. Tell me what you want on your perfect digital camera.

Share this:

You May Also Like:

Please Support Our Partners:

Datacolor Spyder – There is no better time to enhance your capabilities in color management and create outstanding images. Calibrating your display is the first step to ensuring your prints accurately match what you see on your screen.

MPB.com – We buy, sell and trade used camera equipment with custom-designed technology, built to solve the challenges of peer to peer transactions. Our rapidly growing marketplace is available in the UK, US and EU countries. Build a camera setup that's right for you with MPB.

Platypod – Platypod Pro LLC makes the world's most compact mini tripod bases for photographers. Inspired by the duck-billed platypus, an animal with flat and broad feet, we designed our camera supports to be ideal for low-angle shots and situations where traditional tripods are cumbersome or impractical.

Perfectly Clear Complete – Built for precision. Made for beauty. Perfectly Clear has mastered the science of intelligent image correction - creating superior quality photos in record time, so you can get back to doing what you really love...in no time. Special Photofocus deal here.

HDR Learning Center – Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDRsoft.

Reader Interactions

Comments

21. A build-in flash which can be “dragged” to be as flexible as these Speedlights (e.g. to shoot the flash against a wall on left/right/top and not directly into the face).
22. Ability to shoot DNGs with exactly the same quality/features/speed as the company’s RAW format.
23. ISO starting at 25.
24. A much cheaper (about €1500?), smaller version (size of 50D oder D300) which is slower, but features the same sensor (16-bit RAWs, maybe HD video) and weather-sealing.

That’s some wish list, Scott. I think the items you listed that give the companies lock-in (lens adapters, Raw converter, etc) will never happen, at least not unless the other one does it first. As far as Canon and Nikon are concerned, they don’t care about Pentax, Sony, Olympus, etc. They don’t see the “third party” manufacturers as serious competition.

It’s the same way Microsoft saw Apple, Firefox, etc. in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. And look what’s happened since then. Will the same thing happen with DSLRs? Who knows.

The present Nikon D700 is my perfect camera! I am SOOOO happy with this camera. It’s the digital camera I’d been waiting for. As a matter of fact, now that I have completed readjusting my lens selection for full frame, there is nothing that I plan to add to my photographic hardware. No new hardware to learn. I can concentrate on making images. Life is good.

Your list is almost exhaustive at least with our current information. I also would like the following:

1. Included or built in L bracket for use with arc swiss setup.
2. On camera built in flash with good output that could be extended upward or to the side to be useful. I am not providing the design or ergonomics, just the idea.

22. Comes with a strap comfortable enough to carry a 80-200mm lens on the body all day
23. Scratchproof rear and top LCD displays
24. Custom pre-set settings with a button to toggle them (i.e. settings for when I’m using my speedlight and not using it, so I can quickly switch all settings. I recently had a job taking group shots [needed speedlight] to candids at longer focal lengths [didn’t need the zoom]. It was a pain to keep having to switch ISO and WB, etc.).

20 very good wishes 🙂 The built in ND filter is a really good idea, even graduated ND filters should be possible, but with 16 bit images, that can be achieved in PP 🙂
PS: Sad to hear that you’ll not be on TWIP on a regular basis 🙁

I simply want a camera, unlike my Nikon D60, where every time I want to try something new, I realized a new artificial software limitation. Try HDR? Sorry, no AEB. Try remote flash triggering? Sorry, no Commander mode. Try a 50mm prime? Sorry, need the 4x as expensive AF-S lens (ok, that one is hardware). But, I think that’s the point. Lure the newbies in with a cheap camera body, then as they learn, provide incentive to trade up. For me, the rumored D400 may address all of my current issues. FX would be nice, but this is just a hobby for me.

I simply want a camera, unlike my Nikon D60, where every time I want to try something new, I realized a new artificial software limitation. Try HDR? Sorry, no AEB. Try remote flash triggering? Sorry, no Commander mode. Try a 50mm prime? Sorry, need the 4x as expensive AF-S lens (ok, that one is hardware). But, I think that’s the point. Lure the newbies in with a cheap camera body, then as they learn, provide incentive to trade up. For me, the rumored D400 may address all of my current issues. FX would be nice, but this is just a hobby for me.

@Jason you should send those wishes to WordPress since they make the software we use to run the blog. Unless they offer those abilities we won’t be offering them. Of course, if you want to offer to write a custom program that does what you want, I’ll try to implement it 🙂

Let’s try to keep the comments here about photography and send comments about form, function, etc. as emails. Thanks.

Scott – good list and well thought out. I spent about three months with an Olympus E3 and have since moved into the Nikon world. One thing I would really like to get back is a swivel-tilt LCD. I can’t tell you how nice it was to able able to lower or raise the camera (in live-view) and take a shot. It also is a very clever way of turning the LCD inside to protect the screen while not is use.

Scott – good list and well thought out. I spent about three months with an Olympus E3 and have since moved into the Nikon world. One thing I would really like to get back is a swivel-tilt LCD. I can’t tell you how nice it was to able able to lower or raise the camera (in live-view) and take a shot. It also is a very clever way of turning the LCD inside to protect the screen while not is use.

My favorite on your list is the 1/500th flash sync. I’m tired of trying to get motion shots of bouncing runners in dark wooded areas. I just wish Canon had something comparable to the D3 (fps & ISO) so I wouldn’t have to buy a whole new quiver of lenses…

@Dennis 15 Megapixels is larger than 12 Megapixels. The D3 currently comes in at 12 Megapixels. So when I said in #2 I want a camera at 15 Megapixels – I followed up in #3 by saying I wanted that increase in MP along with good high-ISO performance. Never said I want 24 MP. Hope this clarifies it for you.

@Dennis 15 Megapixels is larger than 12 Megapixels. The D3 currently comes in at 12 Megapixels. So when I said in #2 I want a camera at 15 Megapixels – I followed up in #3 by saying I wanted that increase in MP along with good high-ISO performance. Never said I want 24 MP. Hope this clarifies it for you.

While people are suggesting features maybe I can add one of my own: voice memo capability. I believe the top Nikons offer this. My camera doesn’t sadly. In your workflow interview you mentioned you took extra shots of a code letter to introduce say a sequence for HDR. You could use the voice memo for that and other useful background info that might help in later processing back at the ranch. It is only a minor feature but short frame-specific voice recordings could be a useful element of the overall workflow.

While people are suggesting features maybe I can add one of my own: voice memo capability. I believe the top Nikons offer this. My camera doesn’t sadly. In your workflow interview you mentioned you took extra shots of a code letter to introduce say a sequence for HDR. You could use the voice memo for that and other useful background info that might help in later processing back at the ranch. It is only a minor feature but short frame-specific voice recordings could be a useful element of the overall workflow.

I can see it now…The new ValdeezyPix from Exxon….firmware with an alcoholic algorithm that always crashes and makes the batteries leak. 😀

Joking aside, I hope Nikon and Canon read the blog…(or maybe Scott, you should fire your list to their dev teams).

As for my perfect cam, I’d be over the moon with any of the FF cams out now…
So, what I still am chomping at the bit for is higher resolution monitors. If they can pack 920,000 TFT’s onto a D3 or MkII 3″ display, they should be able to stick over 6,000,000 on a 19″ wide LCD like mine, (instead of only 1.3 million). Oooh, it’d be sweet to be not have to switch between 100% and “fit on screen” in programs all the time.
It’ll take awhile for the video card mfg’s support such resolution, (as well as applications and operating systems to upscale their UI’s etc so icons and text didn’t require a miscroscope), but hi-res monitors have to come sooner or later to better accomodate digital imaging. Can’t just keep makin them physically bigger…
Note to self: e-mail Eizo.
🙂

I can see it now…The new ValdeezyPix from Exxon….firmware with an alcoholic algorithm that always crashes and makes the batteries leak. 😀

Joking aside, I hope Nikon and Canon read the blog…(or maybe Scott, you should fire your list to their dev teams).

As for my perfect cam, I’d be over the moon with any of the FF cams out now…
So, what I still am chomping at the bit for is higher resolution monitors. If they can pack 920,000 TFT’s onto a D3 or MkII 3″ display, they should be able to stick over 6,000,000 on a 19″ wide LCD like mine, (instead of only 1.3 million). Oooh, it’d be sweet to be not have to switch between 100% and “fit on screen” in programs all the time.
It’ll take awhile for the video card mfg’s support such resolution, (as well as applications and operating systems to upscale their UI’s etc so icons and text didn’t require a miscroscope), but hi-res monitors have to come sooner or later to better accomodate digital imaging. Can’t just keep makin them physically bigger…
Note to self: e-mail Eizo.
🙂

I would like to see a large sensor, low megapixel camera with a wide angle lens, stop motion capability, the ability to use additional lenses and shoot 720P HD video under $500. Seems like the LX3 and G10 have bits and pieces, but none have it all …I have a DLSR D40x, but I just do not take pics with it due to the size…

I would also love to see a grid of sensor size comparisons written by the TWIP gang.

I would like to see a large sensor, low megapixel camera with a wide angle lens, stop motion capability, the ability to use additional lenses and shoot 720P HD video under $500. Seems like the LX3 and G10 have bits and pieces, but none have it all …I have a DLSR D40x, but I just do not take pics with it due to the size…

I would also love to see a grid of sensor size comparisons written by the TWIP gang.

21) Have the manufacturers state the Native ISO. I am ok if it is 50, 100, 200, 400, etc.
22) I want to have the same resolving power of Velvia at the native ISO.
23) Same physical form factor from model year to model year. This way I don’t have to change out my $$$$ under water housing. Either that OR allow a plug in remote to be able to control the camera.

21) Have the manufacturers state the Native ISO. I am ok if it is 50, 100, 200, 400, etc.
22) I want to have the same resolving power of Velvia at the native ISO.
23) Same physical form factor from model year to model year. This way I don’t have to change out my $$$$ under water housing. Either that OR allow a plug in remote to be able to control the camera.

1. Dual memory card slots which are fully customizable. (ie. mirroring, pooled storage, or JPG to one; RAW to the other).
2. Built in internal GPS (as in internal to the camera, not hanging off of the hot shoe).
3. Built in internal WiFi upload/tethering (Pictures go wirelessly to Flickr/Lightroom).
4. Open source firmware or at least a really good SDK.

@Dennis, Scott: Interestingly, 2 and 3 would be particularly nicely satisfied together once major manufacturers develop Foveon-like sensors to the same extent they have had developed existing ones (ex. 15 megapixels in each color would have same size of the pixels as the traditional sensor – good for sensitivity while providing 45 megapixel of information for detail). As a side benefit, RAW point 10 would be almost automatically satisfied (there is really no need for complex RAW format with Foveon-like sensor), as well as 15 due to little need for processing info that is passed on from the sensor to the memory/RAW issues, hence enabling fast data transfer and fast FPS.

@Dennis, Scott: Interestingly, 2 and 3 would be particularly nicely satisfied together once major manufacturers develop Foveon-like sensors to the same extent they have had developed existing ones (ex. 15 megapixels in each color would have same size of the pixels as the traditional sensor – good for sensitivity while providing 45 megapixel of information for detail). As a side benefit, RAW point 10 would be almost automatically satisfied (there is really no need for complex RAW format with Foveon-like sensor), as well as 15 due to little need for processing info that is passed on from the sensor to the memory/RAW issues, hence enabling fast data transfer and fast FPS.

Great list Scott, while I have not had the privilege of trying all the top cameras here’s a few of my thoughts, it’s possible some of these features already exist on more expensive cameras.

I’d like to see either better options for focusing screens, for manual focus.
It would be good to have the ability within the camera, to do time lapse photography.
I think all cameras should have recessed camera straps points (like the D40) so that if you don’t have a strap on the camera there isn’t big lumps of metal sticking out the sides.

Great list Scott, while I have not had the privilege of trying all the top cameras here’s a few of my thoughts, it’s possible some of these features already exist on more expensive cameras.

I’d like to see either better options for focusing screens, for manual focus.
It would be good to have the ability within the camera, to do time lapse photography.
I think all cameras should have recessed camera straps points (like the D40) so that if you don’t have a strap on the camera there isn’t big lumps of metal sticking out the sides.

Excellent list Scott! I’m sure that in the ‘not-too-distant’ future almost all this will be possible in one package.

One thing I would add is wireless flash control built in. I recently noticed this feature in an ad for the Olympus E-3 and thought it was really clever. I’m not sure if any other manufacturers have this feature or not but on my perfect camera I’d definitely have it.

Excellent list Scott! I’m sure that in the ‘not-too-distant’ future almost all this will be possible in one package.

One thing I would add is wireless flash control built in. I recently noticed this feature in an ad for the Olympus E-3 and thought it was really clever. I’m not sure if any other manufacturers have this feature or not but on my perfect camera I’d definitely have it.

Auto ISO mode. My point and shoot has this, and can be set for different ranges of ISO. I use it most of the time. If my SLR had an option that if shutter speed drops below a value so that the shot can’t be handheld, then it would automatically raise the ISO. Would be really useful since it seems lots of us shoot in aperture priority mode, and then have to fiddle with ISO if the light levels drop.

Nice list Scott. Just got my 5D MkII and it’s pretty close to my perfect camera. High ISO performance is very good, but yes, my dream camera would be better. Whether I would downgrade resolution to achieve this is debatable (and why should I for my dream camera?).

What’s missing for me from your list (and my 5D!) is:
1. GPS data
2. Built in wireless triggering for off-camera flash
3. In-camera support for ‘photo-stitch’ panoramics (even if this just assists with framing, like the G9)
4. Some sort of graduated ND filter built into the camera (until HDR support gets way better)
5. Built in polarising filter (the one filter not rendered close to obsolete by digital post processing)

Nice list Scott. Just got my 5D MkII and it’s pretty close to my perfect camera. High ISO performance is very good, but yes, my dream camera would be better. Whether I would downgrade resolution to achieve this is debatable (and why should I for my dream camera?).

What’s missing for me from your list (and my 5D!) is:
1. GPS data
2. Built in wireless triggering for off-camera flash
3. In-camera support for ‘photo-stitch’ panoramics (even if this just assists with framing, like the G9)
4. Some sort of graduated ND filter built into the camera (until HDR support gets way better)
5. Built in polarising filter (the one filter not rendered close to obsolete by digital post processing)

My camera would be made by Nikcanony, called the D4DMark Alpha and have;
a) some magical way to keep dust out of the camera,,, or maybe little robots inside the camera working to keep the evil dust away
b) come with a kick ass cool strap that did not have the cameras name on it,,,
c) would have the new Nikkor 24-70 1.4 VR lens as a standard kit lens
d) fit in my hand and not look like some “out of scale” accessory I had for my G.I. Joes when I was a kid, you know that radio that was just one size too large that you got from a different company but still used it with the G.I.Joe, that is how I feel when I hold a D3,,, that the scale is wrong. (But the D700 seems to have fixed this, so I think I have a realistic wish here!)
e) one or more buttons that I can have 100% control over, fully programmable to every function available in the camera, maybe even upgradeable functions or applications that the company could have to download “for Free” from the net
f) a “reset” Start up button/or extra turn of the switch to go back to some sort of standard starting point with ISO, WB, FRAME RATE, then I could at least remember to choose this when going into different shooting environments. I almost always forget to check and don’t notice it until I have looked at the screen.
g) A quick preview in the viewfinder just to see quickly it the photo was a dud and/or if I forgot to check the ISO, WB, so on.
h) Two card slots one SD and one CF
i) Have 16GB of internal memory
j) USB charging cable
k) The ability to inter-change the grip so that if it does not fit in my hand I can simply screw on a new grip that is better
l) Touch screen for “flipping” through the photos in preview mode.
m) Written promises from Nikcanony that they would NOT build a better camera than the D4Dmark Alpha for at least 5 years!

My camera would be made by Nikcanony, called the D4DMark Alpha and have;
a) some magical way to keep dust out of the camera,,, or maybe little robots inside the camera working to keep the evil dust away
b) come with a kick ass cool strap that did not have the cameras name on it,,,
c) would have the new Nikkor 24-70 1.4 VR lens as a standard kit lens
d) fit in my hand and not look like some “out of scale” accessory I had for my G.I. Joes when I was a kid, you know that radio that was just one size too large that you got from a different company but still used it with the G.I.Joe, that is how I feel when I hold a D3,,, that the scale is wrong. (But the D700 seems to have fixed this, so I think I have a realistic wish here!)
e) one or more buttons that I can have 100% control over, fully programmable to every function available in the camera, maybe even upgradeable functions or applications that the company could have to download “for Free” from the net
f) a “reset” Start up button/or extra turn of the switch to go back to some sort of standard starting point with ISO, WB, FRAME RATE, then I could at least remember to choose this when going into different shooting environments. I almost always forget to check and don’t notice it until I have looked at the screen.
g) A quick preview in the viewfinder just to see quickly it the photo was a dud and/or if I forgot to check the ISO, WB, so on.
h) Two card slots one SD and one CF
i) Have 16GB of internal memory
j) USB charging cable
k) The ability to inter-change the grip so that if it does not fit in my hand I can simply screw on a new grip that is better
l) Touch screen for “flipping” through the photos in preview mode.
m) Written promises from Nikcanony that they would NOT build a better camera than the D4Dmark Alpha for at least 5 years!

Oh yeah, I would like to add
n) a Blur warning (like that for the highlights!) that would tell me if the photo is blurry
o) only come in darth vader black, and have a lightsabber glow around all the buttons so that I can see them at night.

I’ll throw in my support for native DNG, time lapse, GPS to add to the list. And I’d like the GPS tagging to be easy to disable, because it’s tough to strip it or to ensure that it’s stripped before uploading it somewhere, in case a person shoots in a sensitive location or don’t want people to know down to the arc-second where they live.

I don’t want to see proprietary connections for USB, power, video output and trigger either.

I’ll throw in my support for native DNG, time lapse, GPS to add to the list. And I’d like the GPS tagging to be easy to disable, because it’s tough to strip it or to ensure that it’s stripped before uploading it somewhere, in case a person shoots in a sensitive location or don’t want people to know down to the arc-second where they live.

I don’t want to see proprietary connections for USB, power, video output and trigger either.

* Interchangeable viewfinders and focussing screens for those times when you’re not in the field, but in the studio and don’t want to rely on a Live-View screen.
* Built-in Speedlight capabilites – for bounce / direction and with the same reach as a Speedlight
* Built-in IR capability – for those real arty B&W shots. Maybe X-Ray as well?
* True film grain replication – well, for those who remember film and like what grain can do, and want to get it right in the camera rather than later in Photoshop
* Stop-motion capabilites
* Tilt-shift via the sensor rather than the lens
* Multi-point focussing – to enable selecting true multiple point of focus in one shot
* In-body image stablisation a-la Pentax and Olympus, but with a true 4-stop range
* Wireless everything – flash, shutter, aperture, ISO, etc via a hand-held controller – this could even have Live-View capability!

* Interchangeable viewfinders and focussing screens for those times when you’re not in the field, but in the studio and don’t want to rely on a Live-View screen.
* Built-in Speedlight capabilites – for bounce / direction and with the same reach as a Speedlight
* Built-in IR capability – for those real arty B&W shots. Maybe X-Ray as well?
* True film grain replication – well, for those who remember film and like what grain can do, and want to get it right in the camera rather than later in Photoshop
* Stop-motion capabilites
* Tilt-shift via the sensor rather than the lens
* Multi-point focussing – to enable selecting true multiple point of focus in one shot
* In-body image stablisation a-la Pentax and Olympus, but with a true 4-stop range
* Wireless everything – flash, shutter, aperture, ISO, etc via a hand-held controller – this could even have Live-View capability!

Less than $5K? I’ll take one of your cameras too, Scott. Please make sure they give you all the information you need in the 100% viewfinder… ISO/shutter/Aperture. And push the dynamic range to the max please.

Less than $5K? I’ll take one of your cameras too, Scott. Please make sure they give you all the information you need in the 100% viewfinder… ISO/shutter/Aperture. And push the dynamic range to the max please.

I’d add that the physical controls for ISO, shutter and aperture should be in the form of wheels. One for ISO and one for shutter on top of the camera (if necessary make the ISO one by pushing or pulling on the wheel for shutter), and the one for aperture should be at the lens mount, like the aperture ring manual lenses used to have.

I would love to shoot with the full frame bodies from Canon or Nikon. I also wish Olympus would get serious and develop a full frame 4/3’s crop with lenses to match.

However, for a new generation of photographers, everything about photography is heading towards bang-bang, get 10 images in 1 minute. The value of cameras are are related to numbers measured by a computer rather than one’s eye and sense of perspective.

Granted, digital is a tool, just like film is/was. But the heart of photography is more important than the latest gee-whiz body from Nikon or Canon. If you are relatively young and wondering how to sell your soul to afford a 50D, 300D or FF sensor camera, let alone the glass, relax and take a breath: ask your self how great, stunning, and beautiful photography was achieved back in the 80’s, 70’s, 60’s and so on.

Check out Ken Rockwell and on line stores like KEH.

The other side of this coin is that all the photographic knowledge and perspective is worthless if you miss the shot. What good is having manual Zeiss glass if you have to focus carefully and the perfect expression has left the baby’s face? A camera able to do “bang-bang” shooting is clearly the better choice at that time. But, with a little old school skill, one can capture great moments without auto-everything going on inside that $3,000.00 camera body.

I would love to shoot with the full frame bodies from Canon or Nikon. I also wish Olympus would get serious and develop a full frame 4/3’s crop with lenses to match.

However, for a new generation of photographers, everything about photography is heading towards bang-bang, get 10 images in 1 minute. The value of cameras are are related to numbers measured by a computer rather than one’s eye and sense of perspective.

Granted, digital is a tool, just like film is/was. But the heart of photography is more important than the latest gee-whiz body from Nikon or Canon. If you are relatively young and wondering how to sell your soul to afford a 50D, 300D or FF sensor camera, let alone the glass, relax and take a breath: ask your self how great, stunning, and beautiful photography was achieved back in the 80’s, 70’s, 60’s and so on.

Check out Ken Rockwell and on line stores like KEH.

The other side of this coin is that all the photographic knowledge and perspective is worthless if you miss the shot. What good is having manual Zeiss glass if you have to focus carefully and the perfect expression has left the baby’s face? A camera able to do “bang-bang” shooting is clearly the better choice at that time. But, with a little old school skill, one can capture great moments without auto-everything going on inside that $3,000.00 camera body.

I’m surprised no one spoke to the fact that their dream camera should cook them breakfast before it (the camera) goes out a takes the pictures for them! lol I love gadgets as much as the next man but it seems all these features seems to hinder creativity to a point? There comes great joy in getting a great photo from a small featureless camera (I miss my rebel xt). Great Photography comes from Great Photographers not great cameras! That being said I’d like to get my hands on Scott’s dream camera and set mine to “A t-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch’s grape”!

I want a camera that gets out of my way when I want to make a photo. It has to have outstanding low-light performance, a high frame rate, and ideally upgradeable beyond just the firmware.

So what does that look like in real terms?

Ergonomics. Not only should the camera have multiple buttons that align with my fingers on the grip, but the buttons should each have their own feel, so I know when I’ve got my finger on the right one without looking. Hint: one of the buttons should be able to change focus modes.

Extreme ISO sensitivity– I want to be able to shoot what my eye sees at night, without needing HDR. Say ISO 128000 (I can dream, right?)

My camera would NOT include video. If I want to shoot video, there’s a better tool for the job. Let’s do one thing really really well, rather than several things that require compromises.

10 to 12 FPS is not too much to ask– and I want a big buffer, so I don’t get stopped down when shooting an interesting sequence.

I won’t need a built in flash (not with my dream ISO), but I do want a built in flash commander that’s RF, not IR, so I can trigger my studio strobe or field flashes reliably without mounting a shoe trigger, and the strobes should be controllable from the camera.

And I want to be able to use a high strobe sync rate. 1/1800 should do the trick.

I want the body to be light, and I want to be able to keep it current to the latest technology– even if it means paying for an expensive chip… buying a chip is cheaper than buying a whole new body. I’ve always admired the inside of the Mac towers– the way you can take the whole thing apart without so much as a screwdriver– apply that thinking to a DSLR.

And I like the ability to take off the extra battery, like on the D700 and D300– If I want to roll light, I should have be allowed to do so.

I think it would be awesome if the entire back of the camera was like an ipod touch. All menus and buttons could then be configured to the users specs. Zoom of taken images would be simple and specific like the multi-touch ipods.

How about when you take a picture it shows up on the screen and there is a “aperture-type” interface to correct the image so the next shots taken follow the profiles set for the first picture…

I think it would be awesome if the entire back of the camera was like an ipod touch. All menus and buttons could then be configured to the users specs. Zoom of taken images would be simple and specific like the multi-touch ipods.

How about when you take a picture it shows up on the screen and there is a “aperture-type” interface to correct the image so the next shots taken follow the profiles set for the first picture…

#1 request: Custom filenaming Options
I would love a camera that could name my images with a totally unique filename, saving me the step in bridge of batch renaming everything after import for my archive. For example, if I took an image now it would be named 20090108145837-01 with the extra 3 characters to cover images taken in the same second during a burst.
I would like voice keywording and the ability to add a metadata profile with photographer name, and copyright info (like in Adobe Bridge) to all images taken in camera. I want to import and be mostly done. Keywording in real time makes more sense when taking lots of images at events with many people. DNG native and no video option. Save video for the point & shoot for now. No shutter sound mode, to keep people at events from feeling self conscious also.

#1 request: Custom filenaming Options
I would love a camera that could name my images with a totally unique filename, saving me the step in bridge of batch renaming everything after import for my archive. For example, if I took an image now it would be named 20090108145837-01 with the extra 3 characters to cover images taken in the same second during a burst.
I would like voice keywording and the ability to add a metadata profile with photographer name, and copyright info (like in Adobe Bridge) to all images taken in camera. I want to import and be mostly done. Keywording in real time makes more sense when taking lots of images at events with many people. DNG native and no video option. Save video for the point & shoot for now. No shutter sound mode, to keep people at events from feeling self conscious also.

Maybe an extended eyepiece that does not alter perspective. I like useing an extender while shooting with my girlfriend because she cruds up the LCD with blush. Small things can make a real difference. Thank you Scott and all the TWIP gents, your podcast has helped me become a better Photographer.

Maybe an extended eyepiece that does not alter perspective. I like useing an extender while shooting with my girlfriend because she cruds up the LCD with blush. Small things can make a real difference. Thank you Scott and all the TWIP gents, your podcast has helped me become a better Photographer.

Some of the new releases from Pentax like the k1000 and K2000 are moving away from
traditional black color. These deffinitly arnt pro quality cameras and I don’t have any experience with them or anything other than black for that matter. Have you? Would your dream camera be black? In the second episode of TWiP you talked about how manufactures need to originate. Would the dream camera be of a normal form factor or is there something more convient that you have in mind?

Some of the new releases from Pentax like the k1000 and K2000 are moving away from
traditional black color. These deffinitly arnt pro quality cameras and I don’t have any experience with them or anything other than black for that matter. Have you? Would your dream camera be black? In the second episode of TWiP you talked about how manufactures need to originate. Would the dream camera be of a normal form factor or is there something more convient that you have in mind?

Panasonic’s G1 may be of to a good start
without a physical shutter, it should be possible to vary exposure time on different areas of sensor to (get) more dynamic range. The shutter is gone, leaving more room for batteries (more battery life), and should free up room for physical dedicated buttons

Let’s see… A modern DSLR is really a computer with a lens attached to it. What can we design into the computer to make the photographer’s life easier?

* A way to automatically calculate DOF. Focus on the near spot, focus on the far spot, and the camera dials in the correct aperture. (This existed on the EOS-1, but it was a gimmick, not a useful tool. It has not been seen since.)

* The ability to transfer settings from the automatic modes to the manual mode. For example, if program mode has determined that the “correct” exposure is f/5.6 at 1/125, I should be able to quickly transfer these settings to manual mode for tweaking. This will make it easy to get a baseline exposure without a lot of hassle.

* In manual mode, a way to change BOTH the aperture and shutter speed at the same time, allowing me to quickly dial in equivalent exposures.

* Make the ISO as easy to change as aperture and shutter. There should be a third dial on the camera.

* Get rid of “aperture priority” and “shutter priority” modes. Replace them with “aperture float,” “shutter float,” and “ISO float” modes. For example, in ISO float, you set the aperture and shutter speed and the camera sets the ISO.

* Develop a sensor in which the ISO can be adjusted for each pixel. Higher dynamic range can be obtained by lowering the ISO for bright parts of the image and raising it for darker parts. This would be automatic, of course.

* Focus and metering points at the “rule of thirds” intersections.

* Rear curtain sync should be the default flash mode.

* The camera should display the angle of view, in degrees, calculated from the focal length and sensor size. We can then get away from talking about “35-mm equivalent focal lengths” and “crop factors.”

Let’s see… A modern DSLR is really a computer with a lens attached to it. What can we design into the computer to make the photographer’s life easier?

* A way to automatically calculate DOF. Focus on the near spot, focus on the far spot, and the camera dials in the correct aperture. (This existed on the EOS-1, but it was a gimmick, not a useful tool. It has not been seen since.)

* The ability to transfer settings from the automatic modes to the manual mode. For example, if program mode has determined that the “correct” exposure is f/5.6 at 1/125, I should be able to quickly transfer these settings to manual mode for tweaking. This will make it easy to get a baseline exposure without a lot of hassle.

* In manual mode, a way to change BOTH the aperture and shutter speed at the same time, allowing me to quickly dial in equivalent exposures.

* Make the ISO as easy to change as aperture and shutter. There should be a third dial on the camera.

* Get rid of “aperture priority” and “shutter priority” modes. Replace them with “aperture float,” “shutter float,” and “ISO float” modes. For example, in ISO float, you set the aperture and shutter speed and the camera sets the ISO.

* Develop a sensor in which the ISO can be adjusted for each pixel. Higher dynamic range can be obtained by lowering the ISO for bright parts of the image and raising it for darker parts. This would be automatic, of course.

* Focus and metering points at the “rule of thirds” intersections.

* Rear curtain sync should be the default flash mode.

* The camera should display the angle of view, in degrees, calculated from the focal length and sensor size. We can then get away from talking about “35-mm equivalent focal lengths” and “crop factors.”

Very cool list mate, but as an amateur I see things somewhat differently.

For me, the ideal camera would be roughly the same shape & size as the Leica Digilux 2 (or Panny LC-1) which means I’m looking at a micro four thirds sensor. It should follow through with a lot of what that camera offered in terms of manual controls – shutter speed dial & aperture ring – and have dedicated buttons for the most important functions (ISO, WB, Burst, Exposure Compensation etc) and finally, it should have a flash as versatile in design as the bounce-able one found on the Digilux. (To people that don’t know what camera I’m talking about – http://www.overgaard.dk/leica_digilux2.html )

So much for the design, now comes the real meat of the matter in that I’d love for this Digilux 4 (if you will) to have the EVF capabilities of the G1. An articulating screen is nice, but not an important necessity & might hamper the ergonomics of such a camera, so we’ll leave that be for now.

Things like better ISO performance, in-built stabilization & sensor cleaning would be a given, as would a resolution boost from 5MP to perhaps 10MP. Video again, is one of those things that I believe I could live without so it’s not nearly as important to me, but I would like to see a pro-grade AF/Metering system thrown in.

So ideally, yeah, that would be my dream camera (so long as there are a handful of lenses around for it (all supporting the aperture ring) which should be easy enough with Leica R & Leica M lenses being made available on the G1 already).

Not too great a stretch I should imagine, but for the final stipulation, which is that this beauty (or Panny clone) should cost no more than a $1000 body only. A $3000 Digilux 3 situation is simply too expensive to be worth the price so if Panny/Leica can figure the cost factor out, we’d have an absolute winner!

Very cool list mate, but as an amateur I see things somewhat differently.

For me, the ideal camera would be roughly the same shape & size as the Leica Digilux 2 (or Panny LC-1) which means I’m looking at a micro four thirds sensor. It should follow through with a lot of what that camera offered in terms of manual controls – shutter speed dial & aperture ring – and have dedicated buttons for the most important functions (ISO, WB, Burst, Exposure Compensation etc) and finally, it should have a flash as versatile in design as the bounce-able one found on the Digilux. (To people that don’t know what camera I’m talking about – http://www.overgaard.dk/leica_digilux2.html )

So much for the design, now comes the real meat of the matter in that I’d love for this Digilux 4 (if you will) to have the EVF capabilities of the G1. An articulating screen is nice, but not an important necessity & might hamper the ergonomics of such a camera, so we’ll leave that be for now.

Things like better ISO performance, in-built stabilization & sensor cleaning would be a given, as would a resolution boost from 5MP to perhaps 10MP. Video again, is one of those things that I believe I could live without so it’s not nearly as important to me, but I would like to see a pro-grade AF/Metering system thrown in.

So ideally, yeah, that would be my dream camera (so long as there are a handful of lenses around for it (all supporting the aperture ring) which should be easy enough with Leica R & Leica M lenses being made available on the G1 already).

Not too great a stretch I should imagine, but for the final stipulation, which is that this beauty (or Panny clone) should cost no more than a $1000 body only. A $3000 Digilux 3 situation is simply too expensive to be worth the price so if Panny/Leica can figure the cost factor out, we’d have an absolute winner!

Another idea that just came to my mind: The possibility for every pixel on the sensor to disable itself if it got “enough” light already. That should minimize problems with burned out skies or simmilar. And, while we are at it, these pixels should also be able to icrease their ISO by themselfes as said above. 🙂

Another idea that just came to my mind: The possibility for every pixel on the sensor to disable itself if it got “enough” light already. That should minimize problems with burned out skies or simmilar. And, while we are at it, these pixels should also be able to icrease their ISO by themselfes as said above. 🙂

Trackbacks

[…] week Scott Bourne posted on the TWIP blog what his idea of a perfect camera would have; 20 Steps to the Perfect Digital Camera It was a great article that got me thinking as to what I would include in my perfect camera. So I […]

[…] week Scott Bourne posted on the TWIP blog what his idea of a perfect camera would have; 20 Steps to the Perfect Digital Camera It was a great article that got me thinking as to what I would include in my perfect camera. So I […]

Our eBooks

Footer

Regardless of the type of photography you focus on, Photofocus is here as a helpful and educational resource for the aspiring and professional photographer. Our goal is to assist in your success as an artist.